Ellisella nuctenea Grasshoff, 1999

Ramvilas, Ghosh, Alderslade, Philip & Ranjeet, Kutty, 2023, The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice, Zootaxa 5236 (1), pp. 1-124 : 90

Ellisella nuctenea Grasshoff, 1999

Ellisella nuctenea Grasshoff, 1999: 79 , fig. 130; pl. 9, fig. 1 ( New Caledonia).

Opinion: There is no evidence that this species occurs in the region.

Justification:

These Indian records seem to be either invalid or unconfirmable: Kumar et al. 2014a: 18, pl. 6, fig. A–C (Ritchie’s Archipelago); Fernando et al. 2017: 240, pl. 111, fig. A–C (Ritchie’s Archipelago).

Literature analysis: Kumar et al. (2014a) and Fernando et al. (2017) both present an identical description, but the true characteristics of their material are unknown as some of the sclerites figures are shared in modified form with the description of E. azilia Grasshoff, 1999 , and the text has been copied from Grasshoff’s description of Ellisella nuctenea . What sclerites they do show are quite unlike those of this species, and the form of their colony is quite different to that of the copiously branched holotype. This species is probably endemic to New Caledonia.